Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan’s newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday held a gathering with a pacesetter of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) social gathering, marking the primary try at an icebreaker between the agency political rivals after February’s contested elections.
Lower than two weeks in the past, Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and a PTI chief, had refused to take part in Sharif’s oath-taking ceremony.
On Wednesday, nonetheless, each Gandapur and Sharif appeared reconciliatory.
The federal authorities will fulfil all “genuine” calls for of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, stated a press release issued by Sharif’s workplace.
Talking to media after the assembly, Gandapur stated that the prime minister assured him of working collectively for the “betterment of the people”.
“I also told him that it is necessary to engage with [former Prime Minister] Imran Khan to resolve political matters, to which he responded positively and said the meeting with him will be made possible,” he stated.
The PTI has alleged rigging within the elections to favour Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), and has staged protests demanding a recount of votes. The social gathering has challenged the outcomes of dozens of constituencies in court docket.
Khan’s social gathering was stripped of its electoral image days earlier than elections, forcing it to subject candidates as independents, and its electoral marketing campaign confronted a crackdown by authorities. Khan has been behind bars since August final yr, and days earlier than the election was convicted on prolonged jail phrases. Khan has dubbed the convictions politically motivated.
Regardless of the hurdles, PTI candidates managed to win 93 seats, the best quantity, adopted by PMLN at 75 seats, whereas Pakistan Individuals’s Social gathering (PPP) of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto stood in third place with 54 seats. Sharif was sworn as prime minister on March 4 after his PMLN stitched an alliance along with the PPP and different smaller events.
‘The country needs to move forward’
Analysts have stated the assembly could not scale back the political temperature, provided that PTI continues to agitate in opposition to the election outcomes.
Ahmed Ijaz, a political commentator, stated that whereas it may be thought of a sensible transfer by the PTI to fulfill the prime minister and speak about getting aid for the province and its leaders, the social gathering is not going to wish to cooperate too carefully with the PMLN.
“Both of these political parties function on two extremes, particularly the PTI. If anything, they will want to maintain this maximalist, anti-PMLN position. However, it serves the PMLN’s interest to try and bring the PTI to the table and talk, to reduce tension, give the impression of cooperation,” he advised Al Jazeera.
“PTI’s entire politics exists on the narrative of its opposition against PMLN, as well as the coalition partners such as the PPP. This distance from other mainstream parties is what gives PTI its unique identity.”
Nevertheless, one other political analyst, Zaigham Khan, stated that the truth that the PTI has determined to fulfill Sharif is proof of the social gathering’s rising maturity.
“The PTI understands it must rule a province, which is facing financial difficulties, and they cannot do it without help from the central government. They also know that having a provincial government means they have a safe space, they can conduct their politics, and they can even exert political pressure by doing well there,” he advised Al Jazeera.
The PTI got here to energy nationally in August 2018, when Khan’s relations with the navy had been cordial. However 4 years later the relations soured. Khan was changed as prime minister by Sharif after a parliamentary vote of no confidence.
On Might 9 final yr, 1000’s of PTI employees stormed the streets throughout the nation and vandalised navy installations after Khan was briefly arrested. The federal government retaliated by arresting senior PTI leaders together with 1000’s of social gathering employees. Many are nonetheless in jail.
Islamabad-based Zaigham stated that the PTI wanted to discover a method out with institution, a euphemism used for Pakistan’s navy, which Khan has accused of engineering his removing from energy. The navy has constantly denied these allegations.
“The country needs to move forward, and it cannot be done without giving space to the party that has won the most votes, and there are signs that the system realises that. After all, they are in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,” he added.